Handheld airless sprayer for paints and other coatings

Abstract

A handheld sprayer ( 10 ′) includes a fluid module ( 12 ′) mounted to a drive module ( 14 ′) at a static connection ( 16 ′) and a dynamic connection ( 18 ′). The static connection ( 16 ′) supportably attached the fluid module ( 12 ′) to the drive module ( 14 ′). The dynamic connection ( 18 ′) connects a drive ( 84 ) of the drive module ( 14 ′) to a pump ( 24 ′) of the fluid module ( 12 ′) such that the drive ( 84 ) can power the pump ( 24 ′) by the dynamic connection ( 18 ′). The fluid contacting components of the handheld sprayer ( 10 ′) are in the fluid module ( 12 ′). The fluid module ( 12 ′) can be mounted to and dismounted from the drive module ( 14 ′) by a sliding motion.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A handheld sprayer comprising:
 a fluid module comprising a fluid reservoir and a pump that includes a piston that is configured to reciprocate on an axis to pump fluid from the fluid reservoir for spraying; and 
 a drive module comprising a motor, a handle, and a trigger, the drive module removably connected to the fluid module by a static connection and a dynamic connection, the static connection fixing the fluid module to the drive module, the drive module powering the pump of the fluid module by mechanical motion conveyed from the drive module to the fluid module through the dynamic connection; 
 wherein the dynamic connection is formed by a receiver interfacing with a drive connector at a dynamic interface, the receiver including a socket that moves with the receiver; 
 wherein the receiver and the drive connector are configured to move during reciprocation of the piston; 
 wherein the receiver is on one of the fluid module and the drive module and the drive connector is formed on the other one of the fluid module and the drive module; 
 wherein the drive connector is disposed in the socket of the receiver when the drive module is in a connected state with the fluid module, and the drive connector is removed from the socket of the receiver when the drive module is in a disconnected state with respect to the fluid module; and 
 wherein the dynamic interface is configured to drive the piston through a pump stroke by a driving force exerted at the dynamic interface along the axis and within the socket, the driving force displacing the piston through the pump stroke. 
 
     
     
       2. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger is connected to the motor, and wherein actuation of the trigger is configured to energize the motor to output rotational motion. 
     
     
       3. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the fluid module includes a pump housing supporting the pump; 
 the drive module includes a drive housing; 
 the pump housing is mounted to the drive housing by the static connection; and 
 the drive module powers the pump by the dynamic connection. 
 
     
     
       4. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is an airless positive displacement pump. 
     
     
       5. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the drive module further comprises:
 a power source configured to provide power to the motor, the power source supported by a drive housing of the drive module. 
 
     
     
       6. The handheld sprayer of  claim 5 , wherein the power source is a battery. 
     
     
       7. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein all fluid passes only though the fluid module and does not pass through the drive module. 
     
     
       8. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a mechanical drive configured to convert a rotational output of the motor into linear reciprocating motion, wherein the mechanical drive is part of the drive module, the mechanical drive is at least partially located within a drive housing of the drive module, and the dynamic connection conveys linear reciprocating motion from the drive module to the fluid module to drive the pump. 
 
     
     
       9. The handheld sprayer of  claim 8 , wherein the mechanical drive is a wobble drive. 
     
     
       10. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a mechanical drive configured to convert a rotational output of the motor into linear reciprocating motion. 
 
     
     
       11. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a side opening providing a passageway for the projection to enter and exit the socket of the receiver. 
     
     
       12. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a rear opening providing a passageway for the projection to enter and exit the socket of the receiver. 
     
     
       13. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid module is mounted to the drive module by a first relative sliding motion between the fluid module and the drive module, the static connection and the dynamic connection are both connected by the first relative sliding motion, and wherein the fluid module is disconnected from the drive module by a second relative sliding motion between the fluid module and the drive module that is the reverse of the first relative sliding motion, the static connection and the dynamic connection both being broken disconnected by the second relative sliding motion. 
     
     
       14. The handheld sprayer of  claim 13 , wherein the static connection and the dynamic connection are both made simultaneously by the first relative sliding motion, and the static connection and the dynamic connection are both broken simultaneously by the second relative sliding motion. 
     
     
       15. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the static connection comprises a fitting formed on one of the fluid module or the drive module, the fitting slidably engaged within a slot formed on the other one of the fluid module or the drive module. 
     
     
       16. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the static connection and the dynamic connection are configured to be at least one of (1) made simultaneously and (2) broken simultaneously. 
     
     
       17. The handheld sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the drive module further comprises:
 a drive assembly configured to receive a rotational input from the motor and generate a reciprocating linear output configured to displace the piston through the pump stroke. 
 
     
     
       18. A fluid module for a handheld fluid sprayer configured to be powered by a drive module of the handheld fluid sprayer, the fluid module comprising:
 a fluid supply; 
 a pump housing; 
 a pump supported by the pump housing, the pump configured to draw fluid from the fluid supply and pump the fluid, the pump including a piston at least partially disposed in the pump housing and configured to reciprocate along an axis relative to the pump housing; 
 a fluid module static connector configured to mount the pump housing to the drive module; and 
 a fluid module dynamic connector configured to convey mechanical motion from the drive module to the fluid module to drive the pump; 
 wherein the fluid supply, the pump housing, the pump, the fluid module static connector, and the fluid module dynamic connector are connected together; and 
 wherein the fluid module is configured to mount to the drive module by a static connection and a dynamic connection, wherein the fluid module can be mounted to the drive module by connecting the fluid module static connector and the fluid module dynamic connector to the drive module, and wherein the fluid module can be dismounted from the drive module by disconnecting the fluid module static connector and the fluid module dynamic connector from the drive module; and 
 wherein the fluid module dynamic connector includes a receiver disposed at an end of the piston, the receiver including a socket configured to receive a drive connector of the drive module to drive the receiver and the piston along the axis and through a pump stroke by interfacing with the receiver within the socket, the socket including an opening through which the drive connector extends into the socket during mounting of the fluid module on the drive module, and wherein the socket is configured such that the drive connector extends away from the axis and out of the socket with the fluid module mounted on the drive module. 
 
     
     
       19. The fluid module of  claim 18 , wherein the opening is a side opening of the socket. 
     
     
       20. The fluid module of  claim 18 , wherein the opening is a rear opening of the socket. 
     
     
       21. A handheld sprayer comprising:
 a fluid module comprising a fluid reservoir and a pump that includes a piston that is configured to reciprocate on an axis to pump fluid from the fluid reservoir for spraying; and 
 a drive module comprising a motor, a handle, and a trigger, the drive module removably connected to the fluid module by a static connection and a dynamic connection, the static connection fixing the fluid module to the drive module, the drive module powering the pump of the fluid module by mechanical motion conveyed from the drive module to fluid module through the dynamic connection; 
 wherein the dynamic connection is formed by a receiver interfacing with a drive connector at a dynamic interface, the receiver including a socket that moves with the receiver; 
 wherein the receiver and the drive connector are configured to move during reciprocation of the piston; 
 wherein the receiver is on one of the fluid module and the drive module and the drive connector is formed on the other one of the fluid module and the drive module; 
 wherein the drive connector is disposed in a socket of the receiver with the drive module connected to the fluid module and the drive connector is removed from the socket of the receiver with the drive module disconnected from the fluid module; and 
 wherein the dynamic interface is configured to drive the piston through a suction stroke by a driving force exerted at the dynamic interface along the axis and within the socket, the driving force displacing the piston through the suction stroke. 
 
     
     
       22. The handheld sprayer of  claim 21 , wherein the dynamic interface is configured to drive the piston through the suction stroke and a pump stroke by force exerted at the dynamic interface and within the socket.